Dear Reader,

Over the past few weeks, the U.S. dollar has swung back into focus as traders reassess the path of interest rates and seek safety after a volatile stretch in markets. In late November, Bloomberg reported that the Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index logged its biggest one-day gain since September as investors scaled back expectations for an immediate Fed rate cut, pushing the dollar to a multi-week high.

A few days later, a detailed review from FXEmpire noted the U.S. Dollar Index pressing toward 100 as safe-haven demand offset growing bets on additional rate cuts in 2026, highlighting that buyers were still willing to pay up for dollar exposure despite lower yields. For investors, these moves are not just currency noise—they directly shape earnings, margins, and valuations across U.S. companies.

Big Tech Spends Billions on AI. You Can Still Get In Early.

Meta, Google, and Microsoft just reported record profits — and record AI infrastructure spending.

- Meta boosted its AI budget to as much as $72 billion this year.

- Google raised its estimate to $93 billion for 2025.

- Microsoft is following suit, investing heavily in AI data centers and decision layers.

While Wall Street reacts, the message is clear: AI infrastructure is the next trillion-dollar frontier. RAD Intel already builds that infrastructure — the AI decision layer powering marketing performance for Fortune 1000 brands with recurring seven-figure contracts in place.

Backed by Adobe, Fidelity Ventures, and insiders from Google, Meta, and Amazon, the company has raised $60M+, grown valuation 4,900%, and doubled sales contracts in 2025.

Shares remain $0.85 - invest today while it's still early.

👉 Invest Today at $0.85/Share.

A stronger dollar tends to create clear winners and losers in corporate America.

A recent piece in The Chronicle Journal—syndicating research from MarketMinute—spelled out how multinational exporters and global brands see their foreign-currency revenues translated back into fewer dollars when the greenback rises, squeezing reported profits even if local-currency sales are steady. The same article highlighted companies like Procter & Gamble, Microsoft, and ExxonMobil as examples of firms whose earnings are closely tied to global currency and commodity dynamics.

On the other side, retailers and manufacturers that import heavily—names with global sourcing networks and mostly domestic sales—often see input costs fall when the dollar is strong. That can support margins and, over time, dividend stability. For everyday investors and retirees, this means the dollar’s path can quietly change which holdings underperform or outperform, even when the overall market looks calm.

Strategists are now divided on the dollar’s next move. A fresh poll of foreign-exchange analysts published by Reuters in early December found that while the consensus outlook for 2026 is still modestly bearish on the dollar, a growing minority now expect a renewed bout of dollar strength if U.S. growth and equities remain relatively resilient.

At the same time, shorter-term commentary like FXEmpire’s November 21 update shows the Dollar Index staying near the top of its recent range, with safe-haven flows and relative U.S. strength offsetting rate-cut expectations. And as MarketMinute’s analysis in The Chronicle Journal points out, that environment continues to pressure commodity producers and export-reliant multinationals while favoring domestic, import-heavy businesses that benefit from cheaper overseas goods.

For disciplined investors, the key is not to guess every twist in the Dollar Index but to understand how each business earns its money. Companies with diversified revenue, strong domestic demand, and conservative balance sheets are better positioned to ride out currency swings than firms whose fortunes depend on a weak dollar and foreign-exchange luck.

In plain terms: focus on cash flow quality and balance-sheet strength, not on trading the next move in the greenback.

Stay steady,
Kenneth Boyd
Author, Finance Writer, Former Investment Advisor & CPA